4 tips to build an energy-boosting power salad

Between my community-supported agriculture share and my small container-gardening project, I have enough salad greens to feed a small army. Luckily, my husband and I love digging into salads for dinner. And not just as a starter or a side dish, but as our main meal. The trick is building a satisfying salad that won’t have us searching for a snack an hour after we eat dinner. Here are 4 tricks to building a salad packed with staying power.

Step 2: Load It Up with Veggies. Add plenty of vegetables for crunch, flavor and color. The more colors of vegetables you add, the more disease-fighting nutrients you get. For example, foods in the blue/purple/deep red range, such as radishes and eggplant, provide anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which are associated with keeping the heart and brain functioning well.Don't Miss: No-Fail Tips for Picking the Best Summer Vegetables

Step 3: Give It Staying Power. Studies show eating protein helps you feel full longer to get you through the afternoon, so add lean chicken, ham, turkey, fish or beans. Also include starches, such as potatoes, brown rice, whole-wheat croutons or whole-wheat pasta, all of which add nutrients and staying power.

Step 4: Don’t Forget the Dressing! Fats in the dressing make it easier for you to absorb fat-soluble nutrients like lycopene in tomatoes and lutein and zeaxanthin in yellow and green veggies, including corn and zucchini. Plus, when you make your own vinaigrette you can opt for olive or canola oil.

A graduate of New England Culinary Institute and University of Wisconsin with a degree in journalism, Carolyn pairs her long-standing love for food with writing as EatingWell's senior food editor. Carolyn’s culinary interest is rooted in her childhood; she grew up making thousands of Christmas cookies every year with her mom and picking leaves off bunches of parsley to make tabbouleh with her dad. Away from the kitchen, Carolyn enjoys seeking out rare craft beers and exploring the outdoors with her husband, young daughter and dog.